Bose OE2 headphones (Black)
Manufacturer: Bose Corp. Part number: OE2 HEADPHONES BLK
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- You can debate the price, but the Bose OE2s are very comfortable everyday-use headphones with a compact frame and balanced, detailed sound.
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Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ![]() | In stock Celebrate by Rewarding Your Graduate! | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 05/22/2012 |
| ![]() | In stock New | as of 05/23/2012 | |
| ![]() | In stock FREE SHIPPING, Ships same day if ordered by 5:00pm EST | as of 05/23/2012 | |
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CNET editors' review
Bose OE2 headphones (Black) price range: $134.95
- Reviewed by: David Carnoy
- Edited by: Justin Yu
- Reviewed on: 12/02/2011
The good: The Bose OE2 Headphones are more compact than the original OE ("on-ear") headphones. They're lightweight, very comfortable, and feature a fold-up design with an included carrying case and a detachable headphone cord. They also offer very good sound quality.
The bad: The fidelity comes up short on bass resonance.
The bottom line: You can debate the price, but the Bose OE2s are very comfortable everyday-use headphones with a compact frame and balanced, detailed sound.
Here's something you don't see every day: a pair of white Bose headphones. Yes, it's the company's second-generation on-ear headphones, the OE2 ($149.95) and OE2i ($179.95), each offered in black or white.
That "i" in the step-up OE2i adds a microphone for cell phone calls along with an Apple-friendly inline remote compatible with more recent iPhone, iPod, iPad, MacBook, and MacBook Pro models. (Some Android smartphones also recognize the remote functionality, but volume control from headphones that carry the "Made for iPhone" stamp doesn't always work).
These headphones are smaller and lighter than Bose's original OE headphones that launched in 2008 and earned my approval for their excellent fit and comfort. Your ears will still get a little steamy under the OE2s in hot weather, but the material is plush for equal weight distribution, and just as importantly, they fold up to fit into a compact carrying case (included).
While they don't isolate noise as well as an over-the-ear model, they do pretty well muffling the sound. (If you want better noise isolation, go with the Bose QuietComfort series--which require batteries to cut out atmospheric sounds--or the Bose AE2 "around-ear" headphones.)
Bose claims that the newly redesigned earcup ports produce a more balance and natural sound without the manufactured "boost" across the frequency range. CNET contributor and audiophile Steve Guttenberg and I both listened for those improvements and agreed that the OE2s sound more natural and don't suffer from "Bose bloat," a term we coined for the obtrusive bass boost. Of course, some folks like the extra bass, so you may not enjoy these as much as the original OE headphones.
I also compared the OE2s to a pair of on-ear BlueAnt Embrace Headphones that have similar sound qualities and retail for slightly more.
The OE2's balance from bass to mid to treble is excellent--the top-end isn't harsh or edgy, and they exhibit good detail with slightly more accurate tones than the Blue-Ants. If there's a pair of Bose headphones more geared toward audiophiles (compared with your typical Bose headphones), this would be it.
Conclusion
The Bose OE2 headphones don't quite sound like previous Bose headphones. For some, that will be a good thing, and we actually prefer the new sound, but others looking for a little more oomph may find them less appealing than the original.
Putting sound tastes aside, these are very comfortable, lightweight headphones that fit into a case half the size of the one included with $300 Bose QuietComfort 15s. When it comes to more casual, everyday-use headphones, that size and comfort is a big reason why I gave them high marks for design. In other words, you can wear these around without feeling like you've got a giant set of cans on your head.
As with most Bose products, price is often a source of debate, and many folks will ask whether these headphones are worth $150 (OE2) and $180 (OE2i), respectively. I can answer that simply by saying there are better values out there. Case in point: The Sennheiser HD 238i on-ear headphones. They offer similar sound, are comfortable, and can be found for less than $70 online (and they have an inline remote and microphone).
No, they aren't quite as compact as the Bose OE2s, and no, they don't fold up and stow away into as small a carrying case. Also, the fit and finish isn't quite as nice (the headphone cord doesn't detach, either). But they cost $80 to $110 less.
Take that comparison for what you will. As I said, these aren't a bargain, but they are good, comfortable headphones, and if they should break, Bose is known to be pretty good about replacing its headphones should you run into any snafus (they do have a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try before you totally committing to them). And on the bright side, they cost around half the price of their on-ear active noise-canceling cousins, the QuietComfort 3s ($350). In that sense, they're reasonably priced--for Bose, anyway.
User reviews
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Decent sounding, but over priced
by Green12324 on January 31, 2012
Pros: comfortable
Cons: weak bass
muffled soundsSummary: I bought these hoping to improve upon my Klipsch S4 earbuds, but my earbuds blow these out of the water. In my earbuds, the bass is powerful and punchy. On ...
Summary: I bought these hoping to improve upon my Klipsch S4 earbuds, but my earbuds blow these out of the water. In my earbuds, the bass is powerful and punchy. On these, the music (especially the bass) is very muffled. They sound good if you're used to $20 pairs of Sonys, but they don't deliver when it comes to price. I'm going to return hem, and try the Klipsch Image Ones.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good Stereo imagery,very comfortable to wear.
by grejoh on April 19, 2012
Pros: Collapsible, light weight, low frequency bass response with lush soundstage.
Cons: Midrange can sound a bit too isolated at times and not fully engaged with certain material.
Detachable cord, captivated is always best.Summary: Ok, there is a lot of mixed feelings with these over ear headphones, either you love them or hate them, however, i like them, even though a bit on the ...
Summary: Ok, there is a lot of mixed feelings with these over ear headphones, either you love them or hate them, however, i like them, even though a bit on the pricy side they deliver a typical Bose sound, the base is strong and detached allowing delicate high's to come through creating a better 3D sound stage, even though the mid can sound a bit bland at times, in my opinion these can's are more for a bit of serious listening, i use them for the journey other than for the gym.
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it is the best i have ever owned
by mahmoud3799 on March 11, 2012
Pros: comfortable , small , light
Cons: didn't find actually
Summary: it is the best headphone you can get for 150$
Summary: it is the best headphone you can get for 150$
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Bose Corp.
- Part number: OE2 HEADPHONES BLK
- Description: Bose OE2 headphones combine lifelike audio with lightweight comfort. They deliver the Bose sound you expect, but they are even smaller and lighter than original on-ear headphones. You'll hear the full range of your favorite music, from deep lows to clear highs. The sleek, slim design looks great too. OE2 headphones feature an enhanced TriPort acoustic headphone structure, so you can experience big audio performance from these small earcups. TriPort technology delivers even the deep, low notes with clarity, letting you enjoy the full range of your music, movies or games. The compact design offers a smaller, lighter and slimmer profile than original on-ear headphones. Memory foam ear cushions conform to the shape of your ears, and the contoured headband sits evenly, without pressure points, on your head. They're so comfortable, you may forget you have them on - until someone tells you how good they look.
General
- Product Type Headphones
- Width 6 in
- Depth 0.8 in
- Height 7.5 in
- Weight 4.9 oz
- Color Black
- Recommended Use Digital player,
Cellular phone,
Portable audio system,
Tablet,
Home audio system,
PC multimedia - Additional Features TriPort acoustic headphone structure,
Bose acoustic equalization Headphones
- Headphones Type Headphones - Binaural
- Headphones Form Factor Semi-open
- Connectivity Technology Wired
- Sound Output Mode Stereo
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Headphones ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm )
Miscellaneous
- Cables Included 1 x Headphones cable - Integrated
- Included Accessories Carrying case
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support Limited warranty
Product series
-

Manufacturer: Bose Corp.
Specs: Headphones - Binaural,
Headphones,
Semi-open,
Black,
4.9 oz,
Stereo,
Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm,
TriPort acoustic headphone structure,
Bose acoustic equalization -

Manufacturer: Bose Corp.
Specs: Headphones - Binaural,
Headphones,
Ear-cup,
White,
4.9 oz,
Stereo,
Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm,
TriPort acoustic headphone structure,
Bose acoustic equalization,
Foldable
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Bose Corp. products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:Bose Corp.
- Address:
The Mountain, Framingham, MA 01701 - Phone: 1-800-999 2673
- Fax: 1-508-820-3465


